Original Reads

2018 was quite the year for AAA video game releases. From some of the most highly anticipated games of the last decade like Super Smash Brothers Ultimate and Red Dead Redemption 2 being released, to childhood favorites like Dragon Ball FighterZ and Pokemon: Let’s Go! 2018 was nothing short of amazing.

Now we look forward to 2019, and once again we cannot contain our excitement for what’s to come.

If you don’t already have plans to pick up CTR then you’re wrong, plain and simple. Crash Bandicoot has been a part of many of our childhoods for years. When Crash Bandicoot: N.Sane Trilogy came out giving us the remake we all wanted, there was only one thing missing. A remake of Crash Team Racing. We finally get a reboot of the one racing game that broke multiple controllers in our households over the years. Move over Mario Kart, Crash Team Racing is back!

The Mortal Kombat franchise has been around for decades so it’s no surprise that this is a must have for 2019. Who doesn’t enjoy ripping their opponents hearts out of their chest or cutting them in half? We certainly do.

If you enjoy countless hours of grinding to get better loot and doing raids with your buddies, then Division 2 should be high on your list for 2019. Set seven months after The Division, Ubisoft returns to the smallpox-riddled New York City with a brand new class system along with multiple enhancements to keep you playing for months on end.

For anyone who loves watching anime or reading manga, this one's for you. Jump Force is an upcoming fighting game where characters from various beloved manga series fight in a 3v3 all out brawl. From characters like Naruto and Sasuke, Goku and Vegeta, all the way to Luffy from One Piece and even Deku from My Hero Academia, this upcoming brawler is sure to be a guaranteed pickup for 2019 as well.

The Kingdom Hearts series as a whole has a special place in my heart (no pun intended). From it’s stunning visuals and hack-and-slash mechanics, to its wide variety of popular characters from multiple universes like Cloud Strife or Squall Leonhart from the world renowned Final Fantasy series; all the way to Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy from Disney (just to name a few) this game is long overdue. Kingdom Hearts 3 is over 14 years in the making and FINALLY will be in our hands at the end of January. If you have never played any of the past installments of the series, I recommend dusting off your old PS2 and playing through at least the first two to get a feel for the story. Either way, Kingdom Hearts 3 is a GUARANTEED pickup for 2019.